For decades, Ford’s aging Crown Victoria has had a virtual lock on the hack business in the Big Apple. Sure, there’ve been the odd Honda Odyssey vans, Toyota Prius hybrids and even a few Ford Escape SUVs, but the Crown Vic has usually been the cab driver’s car of choice.

Not for much longer, however. For one thing, Ford is finally pulling the plug on the aged, rear-drive sedan. But the administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a strong proponent of green technology, is looking for a more eco-friendly replacement, and has encouraged a variety of makers, including some quite non-traditional names, to make a bid.

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And now, the results are in from a public poll by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission – and while some familiar names, such as Ford and Nissan, were on the list, the overwhelming favorite was an until-now unknown Turkish maker, Karsan.